History is littered with examples of successful (and unsuccessful) people who kept daily journals. It ranges from Marcus Aurelius to Ben Franklin, and from Mark Twain to George Lucas.
But what on earth did they write about?
Or perhaps you’ve seen examples of their writing and thought to yourself, “Goddamn, that reads like the Gettysburg Address!” and become demoralized.
In this post, I’ll show you what my raw morning journal looks like.
Why?
Because it’s easy to imagine our heroes as unflappable juggernauts, who conquer insecurity with a majestic mental karate chop every morning. This is, of course, an illusion. Most people you see on magazine covers have plenty of mornings when they’d rather hide under the covers all day long.
A while back, I bared my soul in a post about “productivity” tips for neurotic and crazy people (like me). I was overwhelmed by the hundreds of heartfelt comments, letters, and more that I received.
Many of you have since asked about my “morning pages,” so I’m oversharing again…
The Daily Struggle
Nearly every morning, I sit down with a hot cocktail of turmeric, ginger, pu-erh tea, and green tea. Next, I crack open this large-format paperback (pic from my Instagram):
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To be honest, I never read the original Artist’s Way, which was recommended to me by many mega-bestselling authors.
More book consumption didn’t interest me, as I often use it to procrastinate. What I needed was a daily and meditative practice of production, like the tea ceremony. So, voila, I bought the journal. This “companion” provides plenty of context to be used by itself.
But why journal in the first place?
I don’t journal to “be productive.” I don’t do it to find great ideas, or to put down prose I can later publish. The pages aren’t intended for anyone but me.
Morning pages are, as author Julia Cameron puts it, “spiritual windshield wipers.” It’s the most cost-effective therapy I’ve ever found. To quote her further, from page viii:
“Once we get those muddy, maddening, confusing thoughts [nebulous worries, jitters, and preoccupations] on the page, we face our day with clearer eyes.”
Please reread the above quote. It may be the most important aspect of trapping thought on paper (i.e. writing) you’ll ever encounter. Even if you consider yourself a terrible writer, writing can be viewed as a tool that you can and should use. There are huge benefits to writing, even if no one — yourself included — ever reads what you write. In other words, the process matters more than the product.
Below is one of my real entries.
I’ve typed out the text below the image, as it’s easier to read.
SUNDAY, DEC. 28, NEW YORK
Woke up at 7:30am, before everyone else. Feels great.
It’s a Sunday, so I feel I can take it slow, which is probably the reason it feels great.
Why should Monday or Tuesday be any different? There are still people waiting regardless. Let them wait.
It’s funny how we work and aim and strive to get to a point where people wait for us, not the other way around. Cue Get Shorty!
And yet, when we arrive at this vaunted point, the masses of people (often rightly) incessantly knocking on the door, one after another, causes far more stress than when you were a mere peon (sp)! [I was unsure of spelling]
Is it because of the 100x more inbound, which decreases a feeling of self-directed free will? A feeling that you’re constantly choosing from someone else’s buffet instead of cooking your own food?
Or is it because you feel you must be defensive and protect what you have: time, money, relationships, space, etc.?
For someone who’s “won” through a lifetime of offense, of attacking, playing the defensive game conflicts with the core of who they are.
[END]
So… What’s The Point Again?
There are two ways to interpret the above journal entry, and they’re not mutually exclusive:
1) I’m trying to figure things out, and this might help.
For instance: I’ve realized conflicts between goals (become “successful”) and related side-effects one must manage (100x more inbound). I’ve also noted that my big wins in life have come from being aggressive, much like iconic coach Dan Gable, who’s epic rant here is one of my favorites of all time. But the fetters of even a modicum of professional success makes one feel like they have to play defense, or manage instead of conquer. This runs counter to my DNA, which leads to unhappiness. Therefore, I need to divest myself of assets that require “protecting,” or I need to better delegate this responsibility.
That all sounds pleasantly analytical. Aren’t we smart? But perhaps the real value is that…
2) I’m just caging my monkey mind on paper so I can get on with my fucking day.
#2 is key.
Morning pages don’t need to solve your problems. They simply need to get them out of your head, where they’ll otherwise bounce around all day like a bullet ricocheting inside your skull.
Could bitching and moaning on paper for five minutes each morning change your life?
As crazy as it might seem, I believe the answer is yes.
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Would you like more posts like this? Or never again? Please let me know in the comments (click here), or I’ll never know. Thank you for reading!
The Tim Ferriss Show is one of the most popular podcasts in the world with more than one billion downloads. It has been selected for "Best of Apple Podcasts" three times, it is often the #1 interview podcast across all of Apple Podcasts, and it's been ranked #1 out of 400,000+ podcasts on many occasions. To listen to any of the past episodes for free, check out this page.
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Excellent. I appreciate you opening up. It’s a sigh of relief to all those others whom have many of the same issues.
A post on insomnia would be epic.
I love the post! More like this, yes please.
I’ve done several rounds of “The Artist’s Way” (follow up books by Julia Cameron in the mix included). I did it once by myself. Successful during, but morning pages dropped off rapidly after the 12 week program concluded. It wasn’t until I worked the books with a group of people that her work really impacted my life in a meaningful way.
Two key reasons the group made a difference:
1. The accountability: I knew we were meeting each week to discuss my results and progress.
2. POV shift: I got to hear other people’s perspectives and see things about myself that were otherwise hidden to me.
Damn it all, but Morning Pages work!
Pl. continue.
Writing down my thoughts is the single best solution of let go. It’s easy and cheap. Plus it’s a great yoga for fingers. Whenever I feel the slightest bit loaded with thoughts, I do this exercise and immediately I come back to the present.
Love this Tim, more please!
Tim, I am sure you’ve done 23andme. How much Neanderthal are you?
(Serious question, one of those I-believe-it-but-I-can’t-prove-it things is that Thal heritage affects us much more than commonly thought, and especially so for those with high expression of it).
Hi Tim,
Yes I like this type of post. It is a insight into the mind of someone who has been able to successfully organize their thoughts that come at the speed of a million per minute… And create the focus to take action.
I am dealing with monkey mind, an out of control one at the moment, full of non stop ideas. I am going to try this trick to clear my head in the morning and get on to my day – with more focus. Keep on being awesome, you inspire so many people.
Great post Tim, and thanks for sharing. I’d definitely like to see more in the future.
I’ve been journaling every day for the past few years and can absolutely vouch for the power of personal writing. Not only has it been a great way to keep a record of my life that I can look back on years from now, but it’s also led to a surprising number of personal epiphanies and has been the antidote to many a foul mood. It can be all too easy to think the same negative thought over and over again for hours, days, or even weeks; but it’s hard to *write* about the same thought for more than a few minutes. Getting things out of your mind and onto the page helps you see them more objectively and find solutions (or just move on).
As for the other comments asking about hand-writing versus typing – I’d say it’s relatively unimportant. Tim has a drawing background and clearly likes to be unplugged, so it’s not surprising that he uses a paper journal. Personally, I find writing by hand to be excruciating and distracting, so I just type my thoughts into a Word document. Use whatever makes you feel most comfortable.
Great post, I have been curious about your morning writing/journaling. I know you’re into morning routines so I was wondering your thoughts on Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle Morning? I also wish I could attach my morning pages template for journaling, motivational quote of the day, Most important tasks, and hourly appointment format with checklists. This has allowed my journaling to turn into actionable steps on one page. Thanks for the great content as usual!
I’m in a particularly tricky situation, professionally, for the moment. Finding out how other people “manage” and don’t loose their marbels really is helpful.
You’ve give me a eureka moment! I try to journal every day – wins, losses, worries, but I’ve never tried it at the start of the day. I’ve had a lot on my mind recently which is manifesting in extreme procrastination. I’m going to give this a go! Amazing!
Excellent post. A practical no-bullshit way of providing something I can start today to make my mental well-being better. When you bear your soul and open up, you are 10 times more real to everyone. Thank you
Thanks for this post, always nice to hear your views. I tend to believe in fixed
working hours and then time off. So a clear distinction between work and spare time.
Love it…great post Tim, really liking the personal touch and insights in to you as a person (in a non creepy way!) just great to see the real person behind the hype every now and again. I think point #2 is especially salient, I know I barely ever reread, and often to be honest may not gain massive value from what I’ve written, but it calms some part of my brain and just gets me out of my own way for the rest of the day.
Great post. Yes more posts like this would be super appreciated.
Great post, Tim. It’s been a while since I did morning pages and you’ve persuaded me to get back to doing so. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing! It was a refreshing read first thing when I wake up in the morning,
Yeah, definitely more of ‘Tim Bares His Ass’
Just the nudge I needed to get back to doing the morning pages, thanks 🙂 I like posts like this – short and insightful.
Hey Tim,
Thank you for the great post! I found some time ago the same truth that journaling keeps the mind clear. It also helps me get a feeling of how I spend my time.
Best wishes,
Simeon
Tim, Thanks for this post. I really enjoyed it, (minus the “f-bomb”, not necessary), and used to journal myself at night. I found that it became an abridged recitation of the days events and a chore which doomed it to the dust heap of history. I believe I will try the morning routine and see how it goes. Thanks again. I always appreciate your posts and your time!
Hello Sir Tim!
Thank you for “over sharing”! I certainly appreciate these types of posts as well as the informal short podcasts. (Dig the long ones too).
I have the artist’s way book, but not the journal. Have done morning pages off and on over the years. Trying to get into a morning routine that includes this practice.
Cheers,
Patrick
Yes, please post more like this. It was one of my favorites.
My sister gave me The Artists Way for Christmas and I have been doing the Morning Pages since Dec. 27. 19 out of the last 21 days, I would almost call it a habit!
It has been a great way to get my busy brain ready to take on the day. Thanks for all that you do and keeping it Real, Tim!
I also do morning pages since reading the book. But I use Write Or Die (http://writeordie.com) for it instead of writing by hand.
I set it to 1000 words in 35 minutes. This helps me to keep writing and not think about the content too much. (The app is also great to write first drafts of blog posts and sales pages for the same reason).
And yes, it totally clears my mind and gives me focus for the day so I’m a huge fan of morning pages 🙂
Morning pages (or whatever you call it, I call it my daily ramblings) has been the best way to clear my mind for years. I have tons or scraps of paper with all the stuff in my head scrawled out. Sometimes it’s useful, most if the time it is complete crap to anyone but me, and sometimes it’s even crap to me. But once it’s out, I focus much better on everything. Good post and anyone on the fence about it, I say try it for a couple weeks.
There is so much good guidance out there about what you should do in the first stages of your morning that I get overwhelmed: Meditate, Work-Out, Box Breathing, Free Hand Journaling, Gratitude Journaling, Sun Salutations, Run… I know that I should experiment with several and discover what activities are the most fulfilling for my life, but I still find it difficult to distill down.
Yes more. I have written in a journal for 40 years. Thank you for the affirmative response to what at times has been seen by me and others as a waste of time.
Thank you for this! yes more of this refreshing honesty is nice. I’ve never heard the act of journal writing explained in that way and it actually makes sense to me and makes me want to try again. I’ve only ever heard the textbook therapist reasoning for journal keeping. Or the self help book step # whatever to becoming blah blah blah…I love that you’ve put it out there that it doesn’t have to lead to anything, become a part of your biography, or take part in a bestselling book I’ll write someday. Pressure I put on myself to write something meaningful has always made me view the journal as a chore or homework project.
Tim, I will get on it !
Great post!
Yes please,more posts on the nuts and bolts of self actualization.
Yes, more posts like this! I’ve done morning pages off and on for years and as of late have fallen off the wagon with it. Your explanation of why morning pages work – process over product – reminded me why writing does matter, even if no one ever reads it. Yet another reason why I love your work. Thank you!
Yes, please keep doing these personal posts! This one was helpful, as I’ve been doing morning pages and struggling with the “why” of them (I do them online at 750words.com instead of on paper, which is great for those inclined to keyboard instead of handwriting, although handwriting has major benefits). I recently came across another post that said essentially the same thing as you are saying – do the morning pages to dump the crap that’s bothering you, the random thoughts, the monkey mind, whatever it is – and that made them start being enjoyable! To read that you use them this way too is…gratifying? Right-feeling-making? Whatever, it’s helpful. Love to hear more about your struggles and how you deal with them! 🙂
Personal experience is very helpful…. always without fail. Thank you!
Yes, more please! 🌠
Let’s definitely have more entries like this one. It’s all well and good to tell people they should keep a journal with short daily entries every day, but it’s something altogether different to explain why and include an example. Thank you.
More please.
I love everything you do. Everything you do affects me in a positive way! Thank you for sharing your personal journal entry.
I absolutely loved this post Tim. I believe it helps everyone when you share raw details like this about your life. Thank you for sharing.
I enjoyed this post man. Keep em coming!
Tim,
Thank you for your comments concerning journaling. I use to meditate every morning and found I invested more time arguing with my self where journaling has allowed me to resolve any issue at a personal or professional level. By asking better and better questions in my daily journal, better and better answers flow in to my consciousness. I can then decide what to do about the situation as I get clearer because my emotions are put aside. As a result, I get better and better results, outcomes and experiences. Thanks again for your comments.
Joseph F. Lahue
Thanks Tim! Your original post has been of tremendous value to me in getting a sense of the “humanness” of “rockstars”, and this is an inspiring follow-up. I am journalling every night, but have now started journalling in the morning due to your interview with Josh Waitzkin. Following your favorite Bruce Lee quote, I adapted it to doing your exercise on fear-setting every morning to get the “fuzzy, muddy and maddening thoughts” out in the open!
I’ve also been working with The Artist’s Way for the past few months, and the morning pages are *absolutely* game changing. Thanks for sharing!
Tim Ferriss blog:
Awesome Tim! You are so right on about writing. It makes us tap into the unconscious, and writing establishes the dance between unconscious and conscious. This natural flow between unconscious and conscious, which sparks all those vibrations and signals that makes us uneasy, uncomfortable, and anxious, these signals called spontaneously occurring signal (SOS) in new code NLP, we usually ignore them, suppress them, gradually they builds up and makes this black tar and haze over consciousness, then we feel anxious, worried, and depressed. We wonder why? We don’t know where this is coming from? Why I have this feeling. There are ways to establish bridges between conscious and unconscious. One of the ways is to pay attention to these signals and simply acknowledge them. The unconscious is trying to communicate with us(conscious). If we just acknowledge these signals, and communicate to our unconscious: You got my attention show me in images, sounds, and feelings what would like to communicate with me. Please show me my powerful unconscious. I’ll be silent waiting for you.
Writing as you mentioned, can be mental bathing and cleansing our mind from these tars and haze.
One of the interesting side-effect as I was reading your email, I noticed your Instagram and I saw the picture of you and your favorite musician, Federico Aubele, then I listened to his work and it so amazing. It reminded me of Mark Knopfler, Chris Rae, and Bryan Ferry type music but with his own blend of unique exotic passion spice.
Never go to sleep without a request to your subconscious.
— Thomas Edison
Really enjoyed this post. Tons of people say journaling is effective but you never really know who actively journals or who is just blowing smoke.
Interesting article. I like your analogy of a bullet ricocheting through your skull. I tend to do my journal at night to get rid of anxiety or bad feelings before the next day, and it was interesting to see how your thoughts were different from my journal.
I think it would be pretty cool if you showed us your morning pages as it gives an insight on your life, but at the same time it seems like a lot of work on your part analyzing and typing out your pages each day. Maybe outsource scanning your pages and uploading them to a special part of your website?
Great post! Links in with the last two books I read “chimp paradox” and “the power of positive thinking”
Both say the same thing that we need to dump what’s in our head to be free of it! Chimp paradox is more from a scientific view saying that the part of our brain (chimp) needs to be heard and its reactions are based on feelings which isn’t always right!
Whereas power of positive thinking says we should hand all those worries, fears , insecurities over and expect with faith that they will be taken!
I prefer doing it on a night but I also know my minds like a vacuum so if you remove something I need to put something better in its place!
I get what I focus on which is a pain in a**e as Ive constantly got 20 things to do so its overwhelming knowing which one to focus on !
Wow this was a cathartic rant great stuff great post
I think this is the first time I’ve left a comment here:
1. Thanks for asking for comments. While it’s probably at the bottom of every email, I noticed it today.
2. Loved this post. For lack of a better description, I’ve had some bad luck lately and my brain has been racing (read: driving recklessly at breakneck speeds down quiet country lanes) with thoughts about how to change direction and reorganizing my priorities. I’ve been “meaning” to get into journaling but I haven’t actually made any effort.
Thank you kick that I needed.
I like this post a lot because I totally relate to that, it’s short and very valuable – teaches something extremely useful that is simple to get done and, helped me understand the principle behind Joirnaling, one that makes sense to me. And seeing you as human makes me believe I am also capable of doing what you do.
Thanks for another peek behind the curtain. Good stuff.
I do! I believe in the same habit, writing my pages first thing in the morning.
It kills the fear of the white, empty page.
Enjoy your day,
S
Tim,
I’ve been reading and following you for years. Watched your YouTube videos, TED talks and 4 hour body changed my life. Watching and learning from your willingness to share your own struggles has been an incalculable value to me. In the last year, for some reason, I’ve been struck with panic attacks. I didn’t know what it was until I was rushed to the hospital thinking I was having a heart attack. I have a high stress job, marriage of 18 years and a bunch of kids, bio, adopted and foster. I volunteer as a child advocate and I’m busy! I can’t afford to be anything less than at the top of my game. I just read #2 of this post. It hit me. That might just be the answer I need. Of course I have been too busy to write this stuff down for 20 years – too busy I’m quite certain. I’m going to try writing, not to solve problems but to get them out of my head so I can get on with my day. Thanks Tim.
“I’m just caging my monkey mind on paper so I can get on with my fucking day.” Going to give this a try now even though (or maybe because?) I missed the morning already.
Hey Tim – I have the exact same journal – and i start my day the same way — just not with the same tea. What’s that recipe? I read Julia’s book years ago, but, like you, at this time it’s not necessary – her journal gives the gist of what each week is about. I kinda thought it was odd for a guy to post this, but hey, as a newbie blogger (still setting up my blogging ideas), this one has inspired me to share the authentic part of myself. THANKS ..and YES, keep on shining with this heart-centred sharings 🙂
, I get more from you sharing about yourself and what you go through and I do from other people’s posts. Because most people are just trying to impress, as opposed to open up and show how things are in real life and that your more like me and I feel a bit more likely to succeed in ways I see you or others have done. So I especially look forward todisease when you were willing to crack the door open just a little bit for us to see In.
Love the personal posts. This is definitely something I will try.
More would be wonderful, Tim. Thank you for all you do and I do hope you are recovering from your Lyme disease.
Love this post! Always curious as to what other successful people do as part of their daily routines. Thanks for the insight and authenticity to share something as private as your journal entry.
Hi Tim,
Thank you Tim for being vulnerable with us and sharing your journal entries…I can relate to what you are saying in a many ways. I do hope you continue to share with us similar posts to this one. I find journaling to be a great way to become more intimate with myself and reveal more of myself to me!
Yeah, definitely keep on rockin’ with the introspective stuff. I love it, it’s inspiring and it helps a lot knowing that you superhumans are also humans after all.
I’ve been also doing free writing exercises every morning; always handwritten, and always in my most beloved journals. After it I always feel like my mental pipes are cleared and ready to roll. Good stuff.
Hi Tim,
Thanks for sharing a bit of your morning journal AND why you find it so helpful. Yes, more stuff like this would be great. Sometimes, I can understand a concept, or an idea, but an example like this really helps me put it into practice.
Thanks again!
Dave
Can you talk a bit more about “hot cocktail of turmeric, ginger, pu-erh tea”? How it’s made and why you drink this and where can we get this from? Thanks.
More. I’d like more of these kind of posts. They sound like mine and even though that is so ego-ic to say, I have to admit it gives me confidence that I could open myself up to “the world”. Not sure why I am so afraid of that. I’m big into redefining my fears so that I can get moving on my most stubborn inner blocks without the constant side-tracking distraction mechanisms like writing this long sentence right now.
I think I always wanted “the world” and “my experience in it” to be so mega fantastic that I am terrified that if I go conquer it, and if I will be disappointed that I won’t have anything to live for anymore.
Enough of that.
But what I don’t understand is why do you (as in YOU Tim) feel like you have to stop to conquer and now manage your life?
Or are “over-sharings” like this morning pages blog post a new way of conquering possibly the fear of being transparent and vulnerable? In which case you’d have found a new way to be more in alignment with your DNA, which I agree is of utmost importance. (Total projection on my part). I think I have let go of the fear of making a fool out of myself, finally, and also have a slight sense that no-one ever really cares about what I say, so it’s okay to lay it all out without and imagine it will blow away into the wind like a colored sand mandala on the ground.
Great post, and superb timing for me. As I am just about to start this morning (using a 5-minute journal that came in some box ages ago). Just waiting for the tea to steep. I found this post very helpful. Thankyou.
Yes! I like to have more posts from you. Thanks.
Appreciated “.. just caging my monkey mind on paper so I can get on with my F-ing day”. Now that makes sense.
It would have been more interesting if the date was randomly chosen.
I believe the opposite of you think. When we write our journal at any time of the day, we stress even more our daily commotions and the game of quantification do devastatation…Thougts aren’t like “rains wiped by “windshield wipers.”
Great post Tim. Very real, personal, and practical. Keep ’em coming!
Thank you Tim! More, more, more!
I did the The Artist Way last year and it changed everything. I still do pages and you are absolutely correct, its lets me begin my day with clarity!
you just inspired me to journal in the morning…. often at night, i fall asleep and wake up with pages everywhere and “mysterious” ink marks on my pillowcases, and often my cheeks!
sounds artistic 😊
Thanks for sharing. I’ve been doing a morning journal for years for exactly the same reason except I add a “to do” list at the end. Otherwise, as you say, things continue running around your brain all day ( the to do list helps here).
And I’m 82 yrs old. It still helps.
I really enjoy your posts like this that are less about success, but more about how you are also human and encounter some of the same setbacks/ frustrations as everyone else. Don’t get me wrong, I love your books and posts, but these are nice every now and again because they hit closer to home. To be honest this is the first post of yours I’ve stopped to read through to completion in the past few months, largely due to the cliche of being too busy. This one struck a chord that made me stop for a second to finish reading. Thanks for the insight!
Thanks Tim. This a practise I’ve maintained for a long time. It’s heartening to find that I do it this way too as I thought it was because have such a memory with holes in it. Enjoy your info
Keep it up…love the insight into great minds
This is not meant to be offensive. If you wake up with so much noise in your head, what the hell is in there by bedtime?
I liked this.
I love it! I also do morning pages, “founded” by Julia Cameron for 2 years now and I feel it has changed my life.
Brilliant. I’ve been trying to use writing as a tool for getting mental clarity and self-reflection, and I’ve done this mostly at the end of the day to take a moment and process the days happenings. I’ll give the morning routine a shot.
The other problem is that there are too many things that can be helpful as part of a morning routine: meditation, exercise, writing, making breakfast, etc. And theres only a limited amount of time. I guess that would qualify as a first-world problem..
This was super helpful! Thank you for your honesty and openess!
Great post Tim.
Yes
This is like a bold reminder that I need to do this stuff again. I used to have a diary just like yours…..the words were just for me……but it got them out of my head an onto paper.
Lately my mind has been cluttered and in the last few years I have lost focus. I think this is why. I haven’t had a diary for years.
I am going to rekindle that today 🙂 Thanks Tim
Tim,
Taking a mind dump on paper first thing is the greatest. After my morning pages, I immeadately mediatate. I believe that getting all my thoughts on paper beforehand leads to better meditation.
The difficult thing about following these morning routines is getting up significantly earlier than normal. I start work at 7am, this requires me to get up at 4am to complete my routine which can lead to burn out after a week or so. It’s a constant struggle.
Thanks for the greast post!
Gavin
Yes,Tim. Your insights are helpful. Please keep sharing. You never know when something that you write will “click
in”. For example I like knowing about you ginger tumeric tea. You have a keen and inquisitive mind and lots of
experience and when you share your thoughts with the
intention of helping others you have fulfilled a life role
in alignment with your dharma-:))
Wishing you much joy and wellness-:))
Steve Heller
that was useful. I journal daily so it was good to see a reflection and also get some insight on how you are helping yourself daily.
“Would you like more posts like this?”
I’d love a post just like this where you present a single journal entry from 3-7 different people. How you get them you choose… request from top performers you know that journal? Request from readers, randomly sample then pick a few awesome ones? Whatever. But a differing variety of entries from people that successfully journal (whatever “successfully” means). I think that’d be a powerful, motivating blog post that promotes journaling by showing how the style/flow/spelling doesn’t matter. And it should be a post that will stand the test of time, which we know you prefer.
good stuff keep it coming Tim
Yes please
Keep the comments coming
Oh a visit australia would be cool to meet u
Tim Ferris, keep posts just like or as this one. One reason, you answered or better yet reminded my question I answered to myself years ago. Stop exploding my mind so much and write everything and anything in my long forgotten journal. This I know will clear my head and be part of my many ways towards “focus” and balance with thoughts, adventures life, plus increase my writing skills from “okay” to “on a roll Chris” to myself.
Best Regards,
Christopher Rodriguez
Awesome post, please more of these!
As much as I love the podcast posts, the non-podcast ones are the best, as they have some sort of a call for action. Starting my journal tomorrow morning.
Hi Tim,
Interested in fact that your entries are so short. Per the book (Artist’s Way), I usually try for three pages or thirty minutes. But sometimes I’ll do the same thing and spend five or ten minutes.
Do you lengths vary, or is this a minimal effective dose sort of thing? I’ve noticed exponential returns for every ten extra minutes of mindfulness meditation — have you experimented at all and found little difference or has it always been five minutes?
Michael
My monkey brain may be a gorilla.
This was very helpful. Have you ever stopped journaling? And if so, for how long? For some reason it’s hard for me to keep up with it…
I like this of post–it is totally useful to see what you get out of journaling. As a writer I find that the kind of reflection I get while journaling might in itself never be the kind of writing I want people to see, but it does a lot to help focus my thoughts each day. It also serves as a sort of confidante so I don’t have to bore my friends and family with all the minutia in my brain… 🙂
This is awesome. Seriously. More of this is more than welcome. Yes, it’s personal, but it’s raw and real and relatable. And I love alliteration. God bless, Tim.
Tim,
First, hats off to your reader Ernie Kleven! Ernie, you are SO cool. 82 years old and you are keeping up with gents like Tim Ferris and posting on his blog! If I were blessed with many years will I be so flexible and open to learning new things? I love it!! Inspiring. (“Water seeks it’s own level”….no matter what age)
Yes, please keep posts like this coming, this was good timing. It seems the other basics are in place (spiritual “food”, healthy diet, gym/activity, business…for the moment anyway). It is time to reincorporate morning pages. Until this post I forgot what a huge difference morning pages can make in your day. With your IG post I put my Artists Way back on my night stand…with this post I am going to get to it! As always, thanks! You make a positive impact.
Love it! Tx.
Morning pages has been a pivotal exercise for me for the last few years…I never reread them, it is not the point.
More posts like this please…it helps to see how others walk.
YEP on keep em’ coming! I have great respect for transparent people. Especially for those that don’t bore the HECK out of me with details. Grats!
YEP on keep em’ coming! I have great respect for transparent people. Especially for those that don’t bore the HECK out of me with details. Grats!